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My all-time favorite classic Caesar Dressing recipe — quick and easy to make, full of the best creamy, savory, umami flavors, and downright irresistible on a Caesar salad.
Raise your hand if you love Caesar salads as much as I do! ♡♡♡
Well for all of you Caesar-obsessed kindred spirits out there, get ready to bookmark today’s recipe. Because the classic Caesar dressing recipe that I have to share with you today is my hands-down fave.
I tend to get on a bit of a soapbox when it comes to Caesar salad, because far too many of the Caesar dressings I have tried over the years taste like creamy, watered-down, halfhearted versions of the real deal — which simply will not do! A really great Caesar should be unapologetically packed with bold umami flavors. We’re talking whole anchovies (yes, they are the essential starring ingredient in modern Caesar dressing and cannot be missed), raw egg yolks (also traditional, but I’ve included alternatives below if needed), spicy raw garlic, tangy Dijon, salty Parmesan, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, a generous seasoning of sea salt and black pepper, and of course, lots of good-quality olive oil.
This, my friends, is the dream team of ingredients when it comes to making a great modern Caesar dressing. And when blended together into a creamy emulsion and then tossed with crisp Romaine lettuce, crunchy sourdough croutons, an extra sprinkle of Parm and black pepper — well, if you ask me, salad doesn’t just get any better than this.
The good news for all of us is that this homemade Caesar dressing recipe is easy to whip up in just a few minutes. So grab those anchovies (yes! you can do it!), and let’s make a batch together. ♡
Homemade Caesar Dressing Ingredients:
We all have Chef Caesar Cardini to thank for the inspiration for this recipe, whose famous salad (which interestingly originated in Mexico and California, not Italy) used to be dramatically prepared table-side for guests at his restaurants back in the 1920s. The original Caesar dressing was said to have been made with Worcestershire sauce, but modern versions have amped up the flavor with the addition of whole anchovies, which I agree are an essential flavor in the more modern Caesar salad that I fell in love with growing up.
Full ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe box below, but here are a few notes on the ingredients you will need:
Anchovy fillets: Anchovies can usually be found in the canned fish aisle of the grocery store, where they are typically sold in glass jars or flat tins and packed in oil. Or you can order them online. Just lift out and drain any excess oil off of each anchovy fillet (don’t worry if you spy any tiny bones, they are harmless) and add them to this recipe. Alternately, if you really prefer not to deal with whole fish, you are welcome to use anchovy paste instead, in which case you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste per fillet.
Garlic cloves: I love the spicy flavor of raw garlic in this recipe and typically add two small cloves of garlic, but you can add one if you prefer your dressing to be a bit less garlicky.
Egg yolks: As mentioned above, raw egg yolks are traditionally used in Caesar dressing. But they carry a risk of salmonella, so if you prefer not to use them, you can either use pasteurized egg yolks instead. Or you can substitute 1 tablespoon of mayo per egg yolk, which will result in a creamier dressing.
Parmesan: I highly recommend freshly-grating some good-quality Parmesan here, to give this dressing the best texture and flavor.
Lemon juice: Also freshly-squeezed, please. (Feel free to also add in the lemon zest, if you would like even more lemony flavor in your dressing.)
Dijon mustard: Just a touch to bring together all of these savory flavors.
Fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper: For seasoning.
Olive oil: And finally, some good-quality olive oil, which will create the base for this Caesar salad dressing.
A double batch of this recipe is pictured here :)
How To Make Caesar Salad Dressing:
After years of whisking Caesar dressing by hand, I figured out a few years ago that it is much easier to make with a traditional blender which is what I always use nowadays. That said, I have included instructions in the recipe box below (at the bottom of this post) for how to make Caesar dressing with a traditional blender, a hand blender, or 100% by hand. So choose whatever works for you!
To make this recipe with a traditional blender, simply…
Blend base ingredients: Blitz everything but the olive oil in the blender for a few seconds.
Add olive oil. Then while the blender is still running, carefully remove the small cap from the blender lid and gradually stream in the olive oil until the dressing is completely blended and smooth.
Adjust seasonings/consistency. Add in a few tablespoons of water, as needed, until the dressing achieves your desired consistency. (I prefer mine to be about the consistency of heavy cream.) Then taste and add extra salt and/or black pepper, if needed.
Serve or store. Serve the dressing immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. (Since the dressing contains raw eggs, it should be consumed the same day it is made.)
Caesar Dressing Variations:
This recipe is definitely one where you can tweak the amounts of ingredients to customize it to taste. For example, feel free to add more/less anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, Parm and/or Dijon to taste. You can also…
Use pasteurized eggs or mayo: If you prefer not to use raw eggs in this recipe, you can use pasteurized egg yolks instead. Or you also substitute 1 tablespoon of mayo for each egg yolk, which will result in a creamier dressing.
Add Worcestershire: Some people really like to add Worcestershire to their Caesar dressing too. (Since most of the Worcestershire flavors are already included in this recipe, I prefer to skip it. But feel free to add in a teaspoon or two if you would like.)
Use more/less anchovies: I love a full-flavored Caesar dressing that uses lots of anchovies. But they are quite salty and flavorful, so feel free to use fewer anchovies (I would recommend starting with 3) if you prefer. Or if you really love anchovies, you can increase the amount to 6 or 7.
My all-time favorite classic Caesar dressing recipe! Alternate instructions included in the notes below for how to make this dressing by hand or with a hand (immersion) blender.
Blend the base ingredients. Add the anchovy filets, garlic, egg yolks, Parmesan, lemon juice, Dijon, sea salt and black pepper to a blender. Purée for 5 seconds, or until combined.
Add olive oil. While the blender is still running, remove the small cap from the blender lid and gradually stream in the olive oil until the dressing is completely smooth.
Adjust seasonings/consistency. Add a few tablespoons of water, as needed, until the dressing achieves your desired consistency. (I prefer mine to be about the consistency of heavy cream.) Then taste and add extra salt and/or black pepper, if needed.
Serve. Serve the dressing immediately, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours. (If using raw eggs in this dressing, it should be consumed the same day it is made.)
Anchovies: Please feel free to use more or less anchovies to taste. When shopping for anchovies, look for the canned fish aisle for small jars or tins of anchovies packed in oil. Alternately, you can use anchovy paste (1/2 teaspoon = 1 anchovy, more or less), but to be honest, I much prefer the flavor of the whole anchovy filets in this recipe.
Raw eggs: Raw egg yolks are traditionally used in Caesar dressing. But they do carry the risk of salmonella, so you consume them at your own risk. If you prefer not to use raw eggs in this recipe, you are welcome to use pasteurized egg yolks instead. Or you can substitute 1 tablespoon of mayo for each yolk.
How to make this recipe by hand: Finely mince the anchovy filets and garlic (or mash them together into a paste). In a mixing bowl, whisk them together with the egg yolks, Parmesan, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper until combined. Then while whisking the mixture with one hand, gradually stream in the olive oil and continue whisking the dressing vigorously until it is completely smooth. Continue with steps 3 and 4.
How to make this recipe with an immersion blender: Combine the base ingredients (in Step 1) in a mixing bowl, and blend together for 5 seconds with the immersion blender. While the immersion blender is still running, gradually stream in the olive oil and continue blending until the dressing is completely smooth. Continue with steps 3 and 4.
I love Caesar salad! I always make it with bacon. I use renes Caesar dressing but I’ve been thinking of making my own and this seems like a great recipe to start with.
1 cup of salad dressing that has to be used within 8 hours is an awful lot! It sounds yummy & easy though so I’ll just cut it in half (& still have an excess).
Sure thing, feel free to halve it! The full recipe (with lettuce, croutons, etc.) will be coming to the blog tomorrow. :)
Emily —
So so easy if you are like me and always have to yell, “honey, can you help me for a second!” I can NEVER pour the oil and do the mixing at the same time. I just get overwhelmed. But this takes out that stress, since the immersion blender is doing most of the work.
If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, you could use about 1 or 2 teaspoons of garlic powder or granulated garlic, and it will work just fine!
David Martin —
I know people (myself included) that regularly keep authentic egg yolk Caesar dressing 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator. It still tastes just as good or better. None of us has had it go bad, nor have we gotten sick. Personally, I’ve stored some up to a week with no problems. Its not like your sitting a raw egg in the fridge by itself. Putting egg yolks in a jar, covered with water, and refrigerated can extend their shelf life to 3 or 4 days.
I think blending egg yolk in with the other Caesar ingredients helps preserve them even longer.
Hi Ali, how long would it keep if you just sub mayo instead of raw eggs? Thank you for all the recipes it has helped to be able to cook through this even if we have to sub ingredients. Stay Safe and Healthy.
This sounds delicious (as do all your recipes!) But one question…like you, I am cooking for two…how can we possible eat a whole cup of this dressing in one day?? Will it keep for a few days? I know you must be careful with raw eggs, but if it’s faithfully refrigerated, I am hoping it will last!
I am vegetarian…can you offer a good veggie replacement for the anchovy? I know anchovies are salty and thought perhaps you could suggest a good replacement.
Outstanding! My husband made it yesterday and it was EVEN BETTER tonight! Quite possibly the best Caesar dressing that I’ve ever tasted!
Anne Farrell —
Love the recipe,however I used an organic Premium Select Extra Virgin olive oil and it and the Dijon mustard taste were pronounced. Grear recipe.Thanks.
All my friends love when I make my “scratch Cesar” Everybody wants the recipe…And here it is! It’s no secret but everybody thinks I use some special ingredients. Nope, here it is!! I have always added a pinch (and I do mean a pinch) of sugar just to balance everything out. It certainly is the best recipe ever!!
Thanks for sharing! (kinda, I think. lol)
I never know what to do with leftover anchovy fillets, once a can is opened so I upped the recipe amount for the number of fillets in the can (13). (Basically 2 1/2x quantity for each ingredient) I did not use the raw eggs, especially bc of this and will use the rest of the dressing in the next few days.
Using the “good cheese” is a must and using the good mayonnaise works out just fine too! Just enough kick with the 5 small cloves of garlic too.
This is a very good recipe I would note however that if you use anchovy paste you need to cut back on the salt. I normally do whole anchovies too but from time to time use the paste and it is a little more salty than if they’re whole. Also I added a tiny pinch of sugar as the other commenter said and it did balance a little better. Thanks for the rec!
This is the absolute most legit Caesar dressing i have made so far, its absolutely delightful. Will say one thing, count your anchovy filets, for some reason my tims came with variable amounts of the fish from 5-9 per tin. 5 is my magic number, best combination of taste and texture that I’ve ease so far. When I started I assumed and dumped in the wholen tin without counting, kept being way to thick, and no matter how much I thinned the dressing with lemon juice, it was always thick again in the morning. Also was way to fishy. Best dressing recipe I’ve done yet though, now memorized and never buying Caesar from the store agaon!
FANTASTIC! I make a half batch and it’s perfect for 2! I make it a few hours ahead of time and let the flavour develop as it rests in the fridge. Thank you, this is my new go to recipe.
Hi–just a suggestion for people like me who are a little queasy about raw eggs or who don’t plan to use all the dressing up right away and who don’t want to bother with buying special eggs–you can pasteurize the eggs yourself in the microwave. Mix the yolks (or one whole egg) thoroughly with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water in a small microwave-safe container. Heat on high for 45 seconds, then test the temp with an instant-read thermometer–it may need another 15-20 seconds. Once it hits 160 you’re good to go, and then you’ll know how long your particular microwave takes.. If the egg solidifies a little bit that won’t hurt a thing b/c you’re going to whiz it up in the blender. I have perfect results doing this with the dressings I make.
I am sorry, I really did not like this recipe at all. I followed it exactly and used quality items (parm, anchovies, real lemons and not the squeeze juice bottle), but it just did not taste like Caesar dressing at all, and it did not taste good. Hubby and sis were displeased and grabbed the bottle of ranch for their salads instead. Sorry, I don’t like leaving bad reviews, but I wouldn’t make it again.
I just made this for tomorrow, and it smells great. My daughter requested it, as she used to eat a salad every day with freshly made Caesar dressing at restaurant where she used to work. I used my immersion blender for the first time, but had a hard time finding a small enough bowl to handle the blender with such a small amount of ingredients. I guess I need some good mixing bowls.
Did mine without anchovies cause I had none….freaking bomb recipe. I’m a total cesar salad fan. I also subed the parm for reggiano cause that’s all I had….still incredibly excellent!!!!
hi ali!! how important are the anchovies or the paste in this recipe? is it necessary and will it affect the taste so much that it won’t taste like cesar? thanks ?
Way too salty. If I make it again, I will not add salt. The anchovies would provide enough salt. I need more bite, so I added mire garlic and used extra anchovies. I think I am still looking for the ultimate recipe, though.
This dressing is fantastic! I usually make my caesar dressing with mayo. But this is so much better. I have tried several of your other recipes and they are all wonderful!
Followed recipe to a T and my husband and I loved it! I salt to taste and love fresh cracked pepper. Perfect! We will never have store bought Caesar again, I’m hooked! Thank you!!!
Made this by hand because my blender isn’t working. Pretty hard for me to get the anchovy and garlic to a paste. It was very chunky but once I mixed in the rest of the ingredients, it was a smooth dressing. Next time I will use a blender and Mayo so I can use it for meal prep. Also all strong brought eggs in the US are pasteurized for those weary.
Sandy —
You assumption all eggs in the US are pasteurized is incorrect. FDA guidelines require they are washed and rinsed with a sanitizer. However, salmonella can be present inside the egg as well. Unless it specifically says so, store eggs are NOT pasteurized.
I love Caesar salad! I always make it with bacon. I use renes Caesar dressing but I’ve been thinking of making my own and this seems like a great recipe to start with.
1 cup of salad dressing that has to be used within 8 hours is an awful lot! It sounds yummy & easy though so I’ll just cut it in half (& still have an excess).
Sure thing, feel free to halve it! The full recipe (with lettuce, croutons, etc.) will be coming to the blog tomorrow. :)
So so easy if you are like me and always have to yell, “honey, can you help me for a second!” I can NEVER pour the oil and do the mixing at the same time. I just get overwhelmed. But this takes out that stress, since the immersion blender is doing most of the work.
If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, you could use about 1 or 2 teaspoons of garlic powder or granulated garlic, and it will work just fine!
I know people (myself included) that regularly keep authentic egg yolk Caesar dressing 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator. It still tastes just as good or better. None of us has had it go bad, nor have we gotten sick. Personally, I’ve stored some up to a week with no problems. Its not like your sitting a raw egg in the fridge by itself. Putting egg yolks in a jar, covered with water, and refrigerated can extend their shelf life to 3 or 4 days.
I think blending egg yolk in with the other Caesar ingredients helps preserve them even longer.
Hi Ali, how long would it keep if you just sub mayo instead of raw eggs? Thank you for all the recipes it has helped to be able to cook through this even if we have to sub ingredients. Stay Safe and Healthy.
Hi Ali! Love your blog and you have the best recipes. Do you mind sharing where your mason jar lids are from? Thanks!
This sounds delicious (as do all your recipes!) But one question…like you, I am cooking for two…how can we possible eat a whole cup of this dressing in one day?? Will it keep for a few days? I know you must be careful with raw eggs, but if it’s faithfully refrigerated, I am hoping it will last!
I regularly go up to 5 days. Never a problem…
Omg, we made this for dinner last night and it was so good!!!
OMG yes! True caesar dressing is a staple! I’m so excited to try this!
I am vegetarian…can you offer a good veggie replacement for the anchovy? I know anchovies are salty and thought perhaps you could suggest a good replacement.
Outstanding! My husband made it yesterday and it was EVEN BETTER tonight! Quite possibly the best Caesar dressing that I’ve ever tasted!
Love the recipe,however I used an organic Premium Select Extra Virgin olive oil and it and the Dijon mustard taste were pronounced. Grear recipe.Thanks.
If I substitute mayo for the egg yolks, how long can it be stored in the fridge?
1 week
All my friends love when I make my “scratch Cesar” Everybody wants the recipe…And here it is! It’s no secret but everybody thinks I use some special ingredients. Nope, here it is!! I have always added a pinch (and I do mean a pinch) of sugar just to balance everything out. It certainly is the best recipe ever!!
Thanks for sharing! (kinda, I think. lol)
You have a great website! I love classic Caesar with Anchovies in it. I will be trying this recipe soon!
I never know what to do with leftover anchovy fillets, once a can is opened so I upped the recipe amount for the number of fillets in the can (13). (Basically 2 1/2x quantity for each ingredient) I did not use the raw eggs, especially bc of this and will use the rest of the dressing in the next few days.
Using the “good cheese” is a must and using the good mayonnaise works out just fine too! Just enough kick with the 5 small cloves of garlic too.
This is a very good recipe I would note however that if you use anchovy paste you need to cut back on the salt. I normally do whole anchovies too but from time to time use the paste and it is a little more salty than if they’re whole. Also I added a tiny pinch of sugar as the other commenter said and it did balance a little better. Thanks for the rec!
This is the absolute most legit Caesar dressing i have made so far, its absolutely delightful. Will say one thing, count your anchovy filets, for some reason my tims came with variable amounts of the fish from 5-9 per tin. 5 is my magic number, best combination of taste and texture that I’ve ease so far. When I started I assumed and dumped in the wholen tin without counting, kept being way to thick, and no matter how much I thinned the dressing with lemon juice, it was always thick again in the morning. Also was way to fishy. Best dressing recipe I’ve done yet though, now memorized and never buying Caesar from the store agaon!
FANTASTIC! I make a half batch and it’s perfect for 2! I make it a few hours ahead of time and let the flavour develop as it rests in the fridge. Thank you, this is my new go to recipe.
Hi–just a suggestion for people like me who are a little queasy about raw eggs or who don’t plan to use all the dressing up right away and who don’t want to bother with buying special eggs–you can pasteurize the eggs yourself in the microwave. Mix the yolks (or one whole egg) thoroughly with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water in a small microwave-safe container. Heat on high for 45 seconds, then test the temp with an instant-read thermometer–it may need another 15-20 seconds. Once it hits 160 you’re good to go, and then you’ll know how long your particular microwave takes.. If the egg solidifies a little bit that won’t hurt a thing b/c you’re going to whiz it up in the blender. I have perfect results doing this with the dressings I make.
I am sorry, I really did not like this recipe at all. I followed it exactly and used quality items (parm, anchovies, real lemons and not the squeeze juice bottle), but it just did not taste like Caesar dressing at all, and it did not taste good. Hubby and sis were displeased and grabbed the bottle of ranch for their salads instead. Sorry, I don’t like leaving bad reviews, but I wouldn’t make it again.
I’ve always wanted to try making my own Caesar dressing. This is the first recipe I’ve ever tried and it is delicious!
I just made this for tomorrow, and it smells great. My daughter requested it, as she used to eat a salad every day with freshly made Caesar dressing at restaurant where she used to work. I used my immersion blender for the first time, but had a hard time finding a small enough bowl to handle the blender with such a small amount of ingredients. I guess I need some good mixing bowls.
Perfect. Just what I’ve been searching for and so easy. Added a little Worcestershire and extra anchovies. Thanks
Did mine without anchovies cause I had none….freaking bomb recipe. I’m a total cesar salad fan. I also subed the parm for reggiano cause that’s all I had….still incredibly excellent!!!!
This is my top recipe so far! I love it! Thank you :)
hi ali!! how important are the anchovies or the paste in this recipe? is it necessary and will it affect the taste so much that it won’t taste like cesar? thanks ?
This was the best caesar dressing I’ve ever had.
Awesome flavor!
Way too salty. If I make it again, I will not add salt. The anchovies would provide enough salt. I need more bite, so I added mire garlic and used extra anchovies. I think I am still looking for the ultimate recipe, though.
So good OMG! Love it. One recipe is good for 3-4 bowls of salad i reckon. There was a lot of leftover for 1.
My husband loved it!
This dressing is fantastic! I usually make my caesar dressing with mayo. But this is so much better. I have tried several of your other recipes and they are all wonderful!
Too delicious for words. Wanted to keep this for a week, so opted for the Mayo vs. egg, but will use egg next time. Deeeeeeeeeeelishissss!
I will be trying this recipe out, never tried it with Dijon mustard
Followed recipe to a T and my husband and I loved it! I salt to taste and love fresh cracked pepper. Perfect! We will never have store bought Caesar again, I’m hooked! Thank you!!!
Made this by hand because my blender isn’t working. Pretty hard for me to get the anchovy and garlic to a paste. It was very chunky but once I mixed in the rest of the ingredients, it was a smooth dressing. Next time I will use a blender and Mayo so I can use it for meal prep. Also all strong brought eggs in the US are pasteurized for those weary.
You assumption all eggs in the US are pasteurized is incorrect. FDA guidelines require they are washed and rinsed with a sanitizer. However, salmonella can be present inside the egg as well. Unless it specifically says so, store eggs are NOT pasteurized.
Excellent recipe – no modifications needed!